The Real Housewives of Racist TV Tropes: A Black Feminist Reading of Reality TV

Spilling the tea on reality TV…

This lecture will critically examine contemporary representations of Black women on Reality TV, positioning and understanding these portrayals as an evolution of the broader construction of race in media and consequently the audiences' "hungry white gaze". Through a Black feminist and critical race theory lens, this session challenges the perception of reality TV as “low culture” and unworthy of academic inquiry, instead highlighting its deep-rooted connections to colonial histories, racial stereotyping, and desirability politics.

We will explore the tension between hypervisibility and invisibility for Black women on and off the screen, conceptualising how mainstream media perpetuates both erasure and excessive scrutiny. The session will introduce a new framework for racist TV tropes in a contemporary / reality world, examining how these tropes shape public perceptions and reinforce systemic inequalities. It will also explore a conceptualisation of the “memeification” and “ghettoisation” of Black women, analysing the audience dissemination of 'snapshots' of these women as a form of digital Blackface and viral currency.

It will end on a meditation for future pathways that allow a real, multidimensional and empowering representation of Black women in reality TV, such as Black representation behind the camera, more productions outside of the Global North, and critical audience participation.

We are committed to making our sessions as accessible as possible. If you are unable to pay the full amount for this class, please reach out to us via email at [email protected] and we will provide you with a discount code.